Banished
by tarsus4survivor
Summary: When Cas is injured and the angel banishing sigil is activated, he wakes in a hospital. Dean and Sam come get him. Not based on any particular episode.


Dean doesn't see Cas gets hit. He was though, because his fighting isn't as fluid as usual. He's keeping his movements small, shielding his chest, and he's not moving from where he's positioned himself against the wall. Sam's not far away and he's doing fine so Dean sidles closer to Cas until he's only a foot away and he can help cut down on the number of angels moving to attack.

Cas nods gratefully when Dean blocks the slash aimed at his head. A brief moment before he shifts to engage another opponent.

It happens with no warning. The room turns bright and Dean has to close his eyes against the glare or risk blindness. When he opens them, the angels are gone. It takes a moment for his brain to work out what just happened. Banishing sigil. Sam is fine in front of him so Dean turns.

Cas is gone.

He's an angel, of course he's gone. But he'll pop up somewhere and he'll be—shit, he'd been injured. Shit, shit, shit. In the torso, too, so it could've been bad. Dean pats down his pockets but he can't find his phone. He looks around the floor, feeling frantic. No, no, no.

"Sam!"

Sam's head jerks up, he starts towards Dean.

"Sam, call Cas!"

Sam nods, his steps stuttering as he reaches into his jacket and pulls out his phone. He stops next to Dean, the phone against his ear, and Dean watches his face grow darker. He pulls the phone down and shakes his head.

Dean kicks the wall.

"I can trace him," says Sam, typing away on his phone, "It rang, he just didn't answer."

Dean turns his glare around the room. He lands on Mick. "What the hell was that? Did you activate that?! That wasn't the plan!"

Mick straightens. His mouth is in a thin line.

Dean breaks forward.

Sam grabs his arm. "It's not working," he says.

Dean glares at Mick, bristling. He grabs the angel blade he'd dropped on the floor. Sam tugs him toward the door. "Let's go."

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Cas wakes and wishes he hadn't. He's on something softer than ground. The bunker. He relaxes, opening his eyes and expecting familiar walls. Instead he gets white walls and strange machines. Where is he?

Cas shifts. He rolls onto his side and starts to push his legs off the bed. Something pulls in his side. Spikes and throbs and he regrets moving. But he shouldn't be here. He continues pushing himself to sitting, one arm clutched around his side. His head is aching and spinning

He's not wearing his trenchcoat. Where's his phone?

Cas goes to stand but his arm is pulled back. There's something in it. Cas pulls it out. And pulls off another thing attached to his finger. The room starts beeping.

When he finally pushes to his feet, his legs don't support him. He drops to his hands and knees.

Someone runs in, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sir?" They grab his arm and Cas shoves them off. It's weak. They barely move.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital."

Cas tries to stand, legs shaking, but they collapse before he makes it very far. He fists his hand and tries again. "Where?"

"Sir, let me help you back to the bed."

Cas shoves them again. "Where?"

"Intermountain Hospital. Denver, Colorado. Let's get you back to bed, sir. You'll tear your stitches."

The grab his arm and Cas jerks away, pushing at them. "I need a… phone."

"Sir, if you don't calm down, I'm gonna have to call security."

Cas waves them off. "I am calm. Stop… grabbing me."

"Sir, I need you to move back to the bed."

"Where's my phone? Please."

She goes to grab him and he moves away, crawling toward the door.

"Sir, I can't give you anything until you calm down. Move back to the bed or I'm calling security."

Cas keeps moving. "I am calm. You're the one yelling and grabbing and holding me here against my will."

"Sir. Move back to the bed."

"No," Cas says. "Give me my phone."

She's set her face, staring at him with a minute frown. "Alright sir, I'm gonna call security now."

Cas's face twists in confusion. "Why?"

She's already called. "You're not listening to reason, sir."

"You're not listening to reason."

Men rush in and grab him. Cas is too weak to fight or shove successfully. They drop him back in the bed and a moment later, he's handcuffed to it.

He pulls on the chain. "Really?" He grits his jaw, bristling. Not calm, huh? Okay. He punches the nearest person in the face. Kicks the next one. They pin him down and sedate him. The room fades.

When he wakes up again, he's strapped down. He tries to get free but it doesn't work and just makes his head spin, so he waits until someone wanders into the room.

"You're awake," they say. It's the girl from before.

"You can't hold me here."

She ignores him to walk over and look at the chart hooked to the end of his bed.

"I need a phone to call my friend," he says, trying to sit up but the handcuffs are stopping him.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that."

Cas squints at her. "Aren't you supposed to contact my friends and family?"

"Unfortunately, you didn't have any contact information. You're a John Doe."

"So ask me my name. Give me a phone to contact my friends myself."

She shakes her head. "I really can't untie you."

"Put it on speaker."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I really can't—"

Cas's face darkens. "You kidnapped me."

She doesn't like the sound of that. Her eyes pinch. "No, sir, we—"

"You brought me here against my will. Held me here. Tied me up, and refuse to let me contact anyone. That's kidnapping, and as soon as I get out of here, I'm suing you." Learned that from Dean and Sam.

"Sir, you can't sue—"

Cas interrupts her. "No, I can't, because you won't let me contact my lawyer."

* * *

Sam's phone rings. He answers. "Hello?"

"Is this… Samuel Novak?"

Sam covers the phone, "Dean! Dean, I think it's Cas!" Into the phone, he says, "Yes it is. Can I ask why you're calling?"

Dean grabs his arm, "That's Cas? He okay?"

"There's a man here, says you're his lawyer..."

Sam nods eagerly, aware the woman can't see. "What's his name?"

"... Castiel… I can't even pronounce that. I'm pretty sure he's full of shit."

Sam has to close his eyes in relief. He nods to Dean. "No, no. That's correct. Castiel is my client. May I speak with him?"

Dean folds in half. "Thank god."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," the woman says.

Sam narrows his eyes. "Why?"

"We had to restrain him. He attacked one of my nurses."

Sam's face curls in anger. "You're denying my client contact?"

"I called you, didn't I?" There's something smug in her voice and Sam doesn't like it.

"May I ask where from?"

"I'll need to verify your credentials first," she says.

"Are you serious?" Sam's hands are animated as he talks, growing more and more frustrated. "He's in some sort of medical center, right? Who signed the papers allowing him to receive treatment?"

"He's a John Doe. There was no one to contact."

"What the hell?" Sam whispers.

"What?" asks Dean, "What is it?"

Sam ignores him, talking into the phone. "He's conscious, right? He gave you his name, he's not a John Doe."

"I'm afraid we're unable to verify that at this time." She sounds almost like a voice recording.

"So tell me where you are, I'll verify it. I have all the necessary paperwork. I can connect you to his brother if that would—" Sam pats Dean's shoulder even as the voice cuts him off.

"That won't be necessary at this time."

"At least tell me what state you're in so I can—"

"I'll need to verify your credentials."

Sam is trying not to scream at her. "Okay, so where do I send—"

"I'll call you back, sir." They hang up.

"What the hell," says Sam. "Was he abducted by a cult?"

"What?" asks Dean. "What? He okay?"

Sam shakes his head. "I don't know. They wouldn't let me talk to him. Wouldn't tell me anything except that he's been restrained for attacking a nurse and they don't believe anything he says."

"You know where he is?"

"No." Sam pokes at the phone, "307 area code. Where is that?"

Dean grimaces. "I think it's Wyoming."

"Makes sense. We need papers for a Samuel Novak, lawyer. And Castiel something unpronounceable. She wouldn't even tell me. We'll just have to go for it. If we're lucky, she called from a landline and we can trace the number."

"Yeah. Yeah. We'll go get him."

"And you're the brother."

* * *

Someone touches Cas's arm. "Cas." He jolts awake, trying to fight but he's tied down. Dean's face comes into view. Cas slumps back. "Dean."

"Yeah, hey." Dean is unbuckling the restraints on his arms. "Your doctors are evil, so we're busting you out of here. Sam's distracting them." Dean moves to unbuckle his legs.

Then he's back by Cas's side. "Can you sit up? Come on."

Dean slides a hand beneath his back and pulls him up. Cas's arms shake trying to hold him there. He sways sideways. "They drug you?" Dean asks.

Cas nods. "They kept saying I wasn't calm. I was calm, I was."

"Okay. Well, they're evil. Come on." Dean helps Cas to the edge of the bed.

Cas swings his legs over the side. Dean's hand on his arm keeps him from tilting forward. Cas hovers one hand over the wound in his side and presses the other into the bed, but hesitates before he pushes up.

"You want a wheelchair?" asks Dean. "I can steal a wheelchair."

Cas shakes his head. "Just get me out of here." Cas settles his feet on the floor and pushes up. Dean pulls him up, really, and keeps him up when Cas's legs try to give out beneath him.

"Okay. Okay," says Dean, "I can carry you or I can get a wheelchair." He lowers Cas back onto the bed. Cas slumps backward, muscles shaking. "Chair," he says.

"Awesome." Dean pats his arm. "I'll be right back, Cas."

And is back a moment later. "Okay." Dean helps him up and settles him in a wheelchair. He takes the blanket from the bed and throws it over him. "We'll just slip out quietly."

Dean winds them through some hallways and out into a parking lot. Cas feels some of the tension fall once he's in sight of the impala.

Dean opens the door and crouches in front of Cas. Cas grips his arms and Dean helps him stumble his way into the seat. Cas is shaking too much to do the seat belt so Dean takes it from his hands and pulls it back. He grabs Cas's shoulder and tilts him down onto the seat. "Go to sleep, Cas." He throws the blanket over him.

* * *

Dean goes back inside. Sam is shouting at some lady, half the building standing there watching. Dean slips his way into Sam's line of sight, meets his gaze, and nods. It's hardly noticeable, but Dean can see the relief that settles over his brother's stance.

Sam finishes whatever he's saying and then waits for the lady to respond. She's glaring, face dark, mouth in a thin line. "We cannot give you access to your 'client' without first verifying your identities. It may take some time for us to review the information you've brought and clear it through our system."

"I don't have time. My client is in there hurt and alone and he has the right to medical and legal counsel!"

"I'm sorry sir, but that's final."

Sam leans over the desk, tilting her monitor, shoving her away, "What room is he in?! I demand to see him!"

She tilts it back violently, pressing a button on her desk. "Security."

Dean slips out. Starts walking toward the car. Sam is escorted out and walking beside him a moment later. "He okay?" Sam asks quietly.

Dean bobs his head to the side, "Shaky. Weak. They drugged him and I don't think his grace has recharged from being blown to kingdom come because he was still favoring his side, but yeah. Yeah, he's okay."

The reach the car and Dean can't help the relief he feels at seeing Cas inside, eyes closed, but his chest moving. Hopefully asleep. He eases the door open and slips into the driver's seat, glancing back at Cas again. Sam is also peering over the seat at him. "You're sure he's okay?" he whispers.

Dean nods. "He'll be alright once he's home and in bed and he's had some time to recuperate."

Sam doesn't stop staring. "Sure." He turns his eyes to the front. "God, I couldn't believe them. They were insane."

"Wouldn't let you see him?"

"Wouldn't even confirm if they had a John Doe or a Castiel in the hospital, god." He glances in the back again. "They drugged him?"

Dean nods, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror, face heavy.

"His grace must be pretty low then."

Dean nods again, jaw gritted. He shoves the car into a higher gear.

Sam looks over at him. "What?"

"Son of a bitch banished him."

* * *

The make it to the bunker in one piece. Dean opens the back door on the driver's side, Sam opening the opposite one.

Dean touches Cas's shoulder. "Cas?"

Cas wakes, head jerking until his eyes land on Dean. He slumps back. "Dean."

"Yeah."

Cas rolls his head to look around. "Are we… where are we?"

"Bunker." Dean inches into the car a little more. "Can you sit up?"

Cas nods, his form shifting beneath the blanket and he gets his hands below him and pushes up the seat, stopping before he gets very far to wince, one hand moving to hover over his side.

Dean helps him up the rest of the way. "They patch you up?" he asks.

Cas nods slowly.

Dean lifts his shirt and sure enough the angel's side is bandaged. Dean peels back a gauze pad. It's a jagged cut, like maybe somebody buried a blade in Cas's side, but it's sutured and clean and so Dean puts the gauze back over it. He pushes Cas gently across the seats to the door.

Cas startles a little, then smiles wearily. "Hello, Sam."

Sam smiles back. "Hey, Cas. How you feelin'?"

"Tired." Cas sets a hand on the back of the headrest in front of his seat, his arm and fingers shaking. His other hand hovers at his wounded side.

Dean has a hand on his back. "Can you stand or do you want somebody to carry you?"

"I'm okay."

Sam is already crouched in the doorway, arms extended slightly.

Cas reaches out and grips Sam's forearms, pushing off the headrest. Sam helps him to his feet and Cas leans into him. Dean follows them out as they take a few heavy steps and then he closes the door, immediately putting himself at Cas's other side, taking his other forearm, pressing a hand up against his back.

"You left the… door open," Cas mumbles.

The one on the other side. Dean doesn't move. "I'll close it later."

Cas is none too steady. Tired and weak and trembling, legs giving out at one point, but he makes the walk to the hallway with bedrooms.

"My room's the closest," Sam says.

"I want my room." Cas struggles forward supported by the brothers.

They pass Sam's doorway.

"Okay."

And they wander into Cas's room and he falls on the bed and then tips himself onto his side, curling into the blankets.

"Your side hurt?" Dean asks. "You want anything?"

Cas shakes his head. "I'm just tired."

"Okay." They fix the blankets a little.

"Thank you," Cas says, and they all know he's not talking about the bedding.

"Every time, Cas. We're gonna come for you every time."


End file.
